


don't call me baby

by 28sunflowers



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Harry Styles, Oblivious Louis Tomlinson, Song: To Be So Lonely (Harry Styles), i think it does, or does this count as idiots to lovers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:29:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26268022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/28sunflowers/pseuds/28sunflowers
Summary: A short and cliché roommates AU inspired by To Be So Lonely, where they’re both oblivious to each other’s feelings and Harry gets sad and jealous over nothing. It works out in the end.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 67
Kudos: 376
Collections: Fine Line Fic Fest





	don't call me baby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wallsbylouis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wallsbylouis/gifts).



> Firstly, I'd like to thank [Gigi](http://ohharold.tumblr.com/) for proofreading this for me _twice_ , and generally being a sweetheart. I’m grateful you accepted to beta this for me ♥
> 
> Thank you to [Lu](https://wallsbylouis.tumblr.com/), who I dedicate this fic to, for listening to me freak out over hating my work, for the time spent brainstorming and for ultimately coming up with a whole new plot for me to write. Sorry it came out shorter than expected and belated happy birthday, queen! 
> 
> And thank you to Rebecca for modding this fest! This fic was written for the [Fine Line Fic Fest](https://finelineficfest.tumblr.com//). Make sure you check out all the other great fics in the collection which can be found [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FineLineFicFest//)!
> 
> [Spanish translation by peakyrep on wattpad](https://my.w.tt/2DKrnReVabb) ♥

Louis is out with Sam... again.

Harry sighs heavily as he walks into their shared flat by himself. The empty, silent space is becoming a fixture in Harry’s routine and he hates it. After years of Louis constantly brightening up their place with his big personality, it’s hard to feel lonely in their home.

He’s going to have to get used to it, eventually. It’s been over a month since Louis decided that he likes hanging out with Sam more than staying in with Harry. Now he’s always at the park skateboarding with Sam, or going to drink a few pints at the pub with Sam, or he goes to Sam’s after work to “play video games”. What a fun month it has been!

Everyone seems to be happy, except Harry.

But it’s fine, it’s not like Louis is Harry’s. They aren’t dating. They are just friends. Best friends, but _just friends_. Louis made that very clear when introducing Harry to Sam, two weeks ago.

Harry drops his bag on his bed and changes into a comfy pair of sweatpants and a hoodie before deciding to make camp in the living room to watch some TV. He finds a Big Bang Theory rerun and leaves it on, making himself comfy with the blanket that is usually draped across the back of the couch. Another one of Louis’ things that makes so much difference in their apartment. 

His stomach protests the fact he chose TV over making dinner, but he doesn’t want to cook for himself tonight. If Louis was coming home, Harry would be gladly cooking for them, but there’s something sad about making dinner for one when you wish you weren’t.

And anyways, Harry will end up eating two bites before packing up leftovers for Louis to take to work tomorrow, and maybe he shouldn’t do that. It’s one of those things Harry does that surpasses the acceptable line of platonic, and he can’t keep pushing it.

So he just adjusts himself to lay more comfortably and tries to tune into whatever Penny is talking about.

It’s only a few episodes later when Harry’s pleasantly drowsy state is disturbed by the front door opening and banging against the wall.

“Oops,” he catches Louis laughing to himself before loudly calling Harry’s name.

Harry hears the door being locked and curses himself for not going to his room earlier. He wouldn’t be able to get to his room before Louis saw him now. Harry sticks with his second-best option and keeps his eyes trained on the TV, burrowing himself deeper in his blanket so Louis won’t be able to see his face properly.

Footsteps approach him until Louis is by the end of the couch, sitting down on the arm and finding Harry’s legs under the blanket to squeeze his shin.

“Haz, are you awake?” Louis asks softly.

Harry has half a mind to ignore the question to see if Louis will leave him alone, but he knows his best friend too well. Louis will wake him up eventually to take him to bed, not wanting Harry to hurt his back on the couch. Fuck Louis for always being so nice and thoughtful. Harry can’t be blamed for falling head over hills for him.

Harry lets out a long breath and hums an affirmative response.

Louis takes that as an invitation to lift Harry’s legs and sit himself on the couch under them, snuggling under Harry’s covers.

Harry closes his eyes and tries to contain his emotions. He used to cherish every moment with Louis. He counted every touch as a win. But now his heart aches, and he’s not so sure that having Louis as his best friend is better than not having him at all. The proximity is only working to show Harry what he’s missing by not having Louis.

There’s a drop of self-hatred between the longing too, because how could he be so stupid and let his initial crush get to this point?

He wasn’t supposed to be so in love with Louis it hurt to have him close. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to be bitter over the fact Louis found a boyfriend who clearly makes him happy.

But he is, and instead of feeling calmed by Louis’ attempt to cuddle him, all it does is make Harry yearn for Louis greeting him with a kiss, spooning him from behind while Harry finishes the episode playing.

“You should’ve come tonight, baby,” Louis keeps his voice low as he comments on Harry’s absence. He texted Harry earlier, asking him to meet Louis and Sam because they were having a few beers after work.

If it was a few weeks ago, Harry would jump at the opportunity, going straight from class to wherever Louis was. But the prospect of third-wheeling for the love of his life really isn’t good, so Harry’s been avoiding seeing Louis in any context Sam related. Louis’ constant attempt to make them befriend each other makes an inexplicably strong exasperation build up in his chest and Harry finds himself growing annoyed at the simple remark.

“Don’t call me baby,” Harry keeps his face hidden in the blanket, not wanting to see Louis’ reaction to his request. It sounded sourer that he intended, and there’s no way Louis didn’t notice it.

“Why not? I always call you baby,” Louis supplies, still gently, and it bothers Harry. Why can’t Louis just leave him alone?

He huffs. “You shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Louis is starting to sound put off by Harry’s antics. “What’s wrong?”

Harry rolls his eyes, angry at the fact Louis isn’t dropping the subject. His infatuation with Louis is as obvious as it can get, and it’s cruel to make Harry spell it out for him. It’s cruel to keep Harry hoping with all the endearments and caresses.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Harry says, pulling himself up to sit against the arm of the couch so his legs aren’t touching Louis anymore. He hugs the blanket tighter around him.

“Clearly something’s wrong, Harry.” Louis protests, but his tone is still kind and patient. “C’mon, what did I do? Why are you angry?”

Louis tries to reach for him again but Harry stands up from the couch to put more distance between them.

“Just don’t call me baby, Louis.”

“What are you on about?” Louis’ brows are furrowed and Harry can see him trying to work out why Harry is fighting the pet name, as if it didn’t make sense. Louis doesn’t understand what he does to Harry.

Harry refuses to admit to anything. It won’t do any good.

“Why do you do that anyways?”

“Do what?” Louis is sounding increasingly frustrated and Harry wonders if Louis will fight him. Maybe it would help. An angry Louis will make distancing from him easier for Harry. Then he can start trying to mend his broken heart.

“Call me pet names, cuddle me, buy me souvenirs when you go anywhere, invite me to your sisters’ birthdays,” Harry lists with his fingers. “Do you want a list of things you do to string me along, Louis? Do you think it’s fair to do it when you’re dating someone else?”

Harry’s voice broke at the end, and he’s surprised by his own outburst. He tried so hard to keep everything bottled up, to not put on Louis the weight of his mistake. But here he is, he messed up.

He stands there, hearing his heart beating erratically in his ear and completely frozen in place. Louis looks just as shocked, and they just stare at each other in silence.

Then Louis starts laughing.

Harry closes his eyes, any sanity he was holding onto is gone. He can’t believe Louis is laughing at him. He expected anger, or pity, but not plain mockery. He can feel the tears filling his eyes and threatening to fall, not knowing how to proceed now. Harry is beyond embarrassed by everything. He will have to start looking for a new place to live as soon as possible.

Maybe if he locks himself in his room, Louis will leave him to lick his wounds for a bit before he starts his search. But he needs to get his limbs to move for that.

He startles when Louis touches his arm.

“I’m sorry for laughing. I’m not dating anyone, Haz.” Louis’ voice is back to the soft tone he normally uses when he talks to Harry, so Harry dares to look at him again even though he’s feeling vulnerable and hurt.

He inhales shakily, blinking the tears away and willing himself not to cry over such a stupid conversation. “What’s Sam, then?”

“A friend from work,” Louis chuckles. He must take the fact Harry didn’t push him away again as a good sign, because he circles his fingers around Harry’s wrist and steps even closer. “A very nice friend who listens to me whine about missing my best friend even though we live together.”

Harry watches Louis’ expression and only finds honesty in it, and it makes him feel a bit better. It shouldn’t, because Louis not dating Sam doesn’t mean he won’t date someone else, but it does for now.

As the quiet stretches and Harry relaxes a little bit, Louis’ eyes light up like he does when he gets a new idea or when he figures something out. A smile forms on his lips and Harry is immediately skeptical, frowning deeper as he has no clue what Louis is seeing in the situation.

He tries to move away but Louis keeps him in place. Louis’ hand touches Harry’s face gently, guiding it so they’re looking eye to eye.

“I’m not stringing you along, Harry,” he speaks clearly, watching Harry’s reaction carefully, and Harry tries his best not to squirm away from the intensity of it. “That’s absurd. If anything, it’s the other way around. I’m selfish and I treat you like we’re more than friends, yes, but it’s only because I wish we were.”

Harry’s not sure he heard that correctly. “What?”

“God, Harry, are you serious?” Louis asks, and it somehow doesn’t sound accusing. It sounds almost sad. Now that Harry looks for it, he can see Louis’ blushing too. He lets Harry go and steps back, running his hand through his hair nervously. “I thought I was pretty obvious and you were too nice to just let me down, so you pretended not to notice.”

“What?” Harry asks again. He doesn’t know what to do with himself with the implications of what Louis is saying.

Louis rolls his eyes and opens his arms, “come here, silly boy.”

Harry complies wordlessly, fitting himself against Louis and wrapping his arms around his middle as he feels Louis’ settle on his shoulder.

“There’s no need to be jealous,” Louis whispers, clearly amused, “you’re the only one for me.”

Harry heart skips a beat, a smile threatens to break on his face so he just snuggles closer, breathing in Louis’ scent to calm down his racing heart. “You’re the only one for me too.”

“Yeah?” Louis asks.

Harry nods against Louis’ shoulder, not really believing what’s happening. Louis backs up a bit so they’re staring at each other again and Harry loses himself on how close his face is to Louis, only a few centimeters apart. He inhales slowly, enjoying the bubble of hope and giddiness that surrounds him.

They’re both basking in each other’s presence and Harry almost doesn’t want to break the calm atmosphere. Almost.

He decides he can brave his way through the next step, since Louis did most of the talking so far.

“Can I kiss you?” His voice is soft, only above a whisper.

Louis smiles brightly at that, eyes crinkling with happiness and Harry melts. He can’t believe he has such a beautiful man right in front of him, looking at him with fondness and affection. It’s more than he ever thought he would have, and he’s still asking for more. It seems like Louis wants to give him more.

Louis pulls Harry down to his level by the arms around his neck, one hand finding its way to Harry’s hair. Harry brings a hand up to cup Louis’ face and the moment is so soft, it makes Harry’s knees weak. This type of touch from Louis is a dream come true.

Instead of replying, Louis goes ahead and tips his head up so their noses are touching. Harry barely has time to close his eyes before Louis' lips are on his. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this, I hope you liked it!
> 
> Kudos, comments or [tumblr reblogs](https://vintageumbroshirt.tumblr.com/post/630877914914865152/dont-call-me-baby-for-the-finelineficfest-by) are much appreciated ♥
> 
> A reminder: this fic was written for the [Fine Line Fic Fest](https://finelineficfest.tumblr.com//). Make sure you check out all the other great fics in the collection which can be found [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FineLineFicFest//)!


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